


Professor Layton and the Oracle of Menace

by temporalCorvidae



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Diabolical Box Spoilers, Fanart, Flora is useful because it's what she deserves, Luke is missing and Layton is kinda freaking out, Puzzles, clark attempts to be a decent dad but we all know he fails, fencing!, flora is a good girl, get ready for some character appearances you don't expect!, i don't know how to tag, mostly about folsense, ooh spooky there's a mad lad on the loose, shite hits the fan if I'm good enough at writing action
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24121108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temporalCorvidae/pseuds/temporalCorvidae
Summary: Luke Triton has gone missing, as disclosed in a letter from Clark. Professor Layton and Flora team up with a mysterious yet familiar young man to find Luke and other missing children, when someone claiming to be the Oracle of Menace makes "predictions" of calamity that come true! Will the professor be able to solve these mysteries? Find out in these chapters! Flora is competent because that's what she deserves!
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written a professor Layton fic before, and I've never published a fic either! It's all exciting, and a little nerve wracking. Hopefully you enjoy, and hopefully I can write decently enough in character!

Two figures in fencing armour went back and forth, parrying each other's blows with precision and grace. It was hard to tell who was winning the duel, as their movements were hardly more than a blur of thin silver dancing in the morning light. The movement continued in a rhythmic dance, until the slightly taller of the two tensed up suddenly, giving opportunity to the other. This opportunity was not expected, however, and the shorter fencer lost their balance, barely managing to strike the finishing blow.  
Hershel stared at the fencing sword bent into his side before removing his mask and wiping the sweat off of his brow. "Well now, it seems I'm not quite as agile as I once was," he laughed, allowing himself to stretch a little. "Expertly done, Flora."  
Flora removed her own mask, shaking her head to air it off. Her hair was a little damp from exertion, and though she looked excited, she was pouting a little. "Hardly! I tripped, didn't you see?"  
"Sometimes, my dear, it's the blow, not the footwork," Hershel chimed, pointing his finger to the ceiling as if he were delivering one of his seminars.  
It had just started to rain as Professor Layton and Flora left fencing practice to return to his flat. It was quiet that morning, and a bit chilly, but neither of the two seemed to mind. The professor was a touch concerned about his signature tophat getting wet, however.  
"You know, Flora," Hershel stated, breaking the silence in a way that wasn't uncomfortable, "your fencing skills have improved quite a bit since we started practicing."  
"Well, of course! I'm learning from the best, after all!" She replied almost without missing a beat.  
"Yes, well," Hershel chuckled softly, reaching up to adjust the brim of his hat. "I wouldn't call myself the best, and nonetheless, it is thanks to your dedication that you have gotten to this point."  
"I'm just glad to do something thrilling!"  
She had a point. Hershel and Luke tended to.. well, it wasn't intentional, but they usually left Flora out of their adventures. He didn't want to endanger her, after all! But she was learning to defend herself, now.. and she was a lot more quick witted than she let on.  
"I'm sure more adventures await us both, Flora."

When the two arrived at hershel's flat, he was almost surprised to not see Luke there. Luke Triton, his faithful apprentice, typically waited for the duos return to greet them, give Hershel the mail, prep tea for the three of them, etcetera. However, today he was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he was inside.  
As if reading his mind, Flora unlocked the door to the flat and turned on the lights, setting the bag of fencing equipment down as she did.  
"That's odd," she murmured. "Luke doesn't seem to be here."  
"Hm," the professor put a hand to his mouth, as if lost in thought. Luke liked to stick to schedules, even if he were sick he would probably show up, only to have Hershel take him to bed or to his house. This wasn't like Luke.  
He took the opportunity to check the mailbox before stepping inside and sitting at the table. He sorted through the letters as Flora entered from the kitchen with a pot of tea.  
That was something nice about Flora, the two of them didn't communicate too much in the mornings, when Hershel wasn't quite as awake and talkative, and yet she always seemed to pick up on things. Her perception was sharp, a trait he admired quite a bit. As her guardian - should he say father? The word was almost intimidating to him - he felt immensely proud of the strong woman she was becoming.  
Now with a cup on tea and eyes more alert, Hershel's eyes fell on the remaining letter in his hand.  
"What's this now.. Flora, would you please fetch the opener?" He asked, and she nodded with a quick "sure thing, professor!" before handing the thin blade to him. He slid the blade through the envelope, opening it and taking out the paper inside.  
He read it silently, but Flora could see his expression change from confused to stricken, before he set the paper down, as if trying to comprehend what he read.  
"What is it, professor?" She asked worriedly.  
"Typed correspondence.. Clark doesn't type his letters.." Hershel mumbled, his fingertips tapping nervously against the table. Finally, he spoke up a little louder. "Flora, can you read this aloud?"  
Flora was a little confused, but she obliged. "Oh..? okay.." she replied, taking the paper and reading it.

To my dear friend, Hershel.

Indeed, it has been some time since I have written to you. This isn't typically something I would do, but I am in need of your help.  
Yesterday evening after dinner, Luke started behaving strangely. I figured he was sick, and I had him put to bed, but when Brenda went to check up on him in his room, he had vanished. He hasn't shown up since.  
If you know where he is, please call me and let me know as soon as possible. He has a habit of running to you with no warning, though I suppose I can't blame him. Even so, I'm dreadfully worried about him, as is Brenda.

Regards, Clark.

"You mean.. Luke is missing?" Flora asked in disbelief as she finished reading the note.  
"As it appears, yes. Yes he is."  
Hershel looked distant. Flora knew that he cared quite a bit for Luke, and was probably already trying to think up ways to blame himself for his disappearance. She had to snap him out of it.  
"Well, we can't just sit here stewing with worry! Let's get out there and find him!" She said, setting the note down with vigor.  
Hershel flinched a little, as if he had been startled out of a nap. "Y- yes. Yes, we need to find him as soon as we can, as Clark said."  
He squinted at the letter, trying to scan it for codes of any kind.  
Clark didn't write typed correspondence.


	2. Articles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flora and Hershel go to the Triton household to investigate Luke's room. Will they find any clues to his whereabouts?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, first chapter with a puzzle in it! I'll put the answer at the end! :)  
> This chapter wasn't my favorite to write, and I haven't really made a buffer for myself since I've really just been writing it in my spare time, but I'll probably stick to just updating when I'm finished with the chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Clark Triton did not write typed correspondence!   
Hershel adjusted his tophat silently, deciding that that was the obvious solution to the issue. Clark didn't write the typed correspondence, meaning that this was either a sick prank, or Luke was trying to tell him something important. After all, he had done something similar before.   
Flora looked out the window of the Laytonmobile at the misty streets. It seemed the rain had made the view a bit more foggy than usual. She looked back down at the letter.   
"So Luke just.. vanished? That's it?" She asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.  
"According to the letter, yes. Though, it does mention he had been acting strangely beforehand."   
"Do you think he was poisoned?"  
The professor's mouth twitched, and he didn't respond.  
"Perhaps, perhaps the food was drugged?" Flora pressed on. "And he got kidnapped! Then we'd be on a rescue mission!"  
"Flora," Hershel sighed. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'm not sure this is the time."  
"Are you always this serious when rescuing someone, or is it just cause it's Luke?" She retorted somewhat playfully, but quieted down after seeing it wasn't lightening the mood.  
The Laytonmobile parked in front of the Triton family household. Flora and Hershel got out of the car, and the professor adjusted his hat as Flora poked at one of the paving stones with her foot.   
"Is the pavement.. steaming?"  
Layton glanced in Flora's direction at the question.   
"Fog and mist can make it appear as though rocks and such are releasing steam, my dear. It's most likely the humidity." He gave a small smile, turning to face her. "It does remind me of a puzzle. Would you like to hear it?"

  
Puzzle 001: froggy fog (15/15 picarats)  
Five frogs are gathered in a queue on a street corner on a foggy day. These wonderful amphibians are all a delightful array of colors, yet you can't remember the order they are sitting in. What you can remember is this:  
The red frog is on the far right.  
The white frog is in between cool colored frogs.  
The purple frog is next to the frog on the far left.  
The blue frog is in between two frogs.  
The green frog is not next to the red frog.  
What order are the frogs in?

  
"Well done, Flora! Expertly solved," Hershel congratulated.   
Flora smiled brightly. "Thank you, professor! That's such a cute puzzle. I like thinking about the little frogs in a line."  
"It is a delightful image, is it not?" Layton adjusted his tophat, before taking a breath. "Now then, shall we go inside?"  
Layton and Flora stood at the entrance to the Triton household, and the professor rang the doorbell. After a brief pause, the door opened and a woman with violet brown hair greeted them with a tired smile.  
The woman, Brenda Triton, looked as though she hadn't had much sleep the previous night, but she tried her best to appear well rested.   
"Hershel, oh, I'm ever so glad you're here," she said, an air of relief in her voice. "Please, come inside."  
Hershel and Flora followed Mrs. Triton into the household, where they found Clark, Luke's father, waiting for them.  
"Hershel! I… I see Luke is not with you," the taller man said as he shook the professor's hand.   
Flora took notice of the grim expression Layton was trying to hide. Clark's greeting must have cleared any doubts of the situation. The reality was starting to get to her, too, especially with how unusually tense the house felt.  
"Unfortunately," Hershel said, carefully picking his words, "Flora and I have not seen Luke today, nor have we seen him since he returned home yesterday. I was wondering if I could take a look around his room."  
"Ohh, of course, how could we forget to search for clues," Clark mumbled under his breath before regaining his composure, causing Hershel to quirk an eyebrow at him.  
"Clark, I'm not suggesting you overlooked anything, I simply wish to check," Hershel replied coolly.   
Clark hesitated a moment, before stepping back from the professor and sitting on the couch, massaging his temples.   
"Brenda, can you show Hershel to Luke's room?" Clark muttered, sighing frustratedly.   
Hershel was about to object when he and Flora were ushered upstairs by a worried Mrs. Triton.  
"Don't mind Clark," she murmured as the trio stopped in front of Luke's door. "He's been having terrible headaches for the past few days, and you know how Clark gets when he feels helpless to stop things. I'll go make him some tea, take as long as you like." With that, she went back downstairs, leaving Hershel and Flora to enter Luke's room.  
The room was just about everything flora expected the thirteen year-old's room to be: a bookshelf crammed with mystery and puzzle books, a small writing desk with a typewriter, and a twin sized bed with clean blue sheets were the main pieces of furniture. What was off was the assortment of toy vehicles and stuffed bears were scattered around the floor, unusually unkempt for the tidy little apprentice, and his violin was lying case-open on the floor at the foot of the bed. A box of rosin appeared to have fallen out of the case and was broken on the carpet.   
Hershel seemed to have already taken note of all of this, as he wasn't paying attention to any of it and was instead inspecting Luke's desk.   
"Flora," he murmured. "Have a look at this."  
Flora walked to where the professor was standing and looked closely at the paper he was holding. 

"That's the London times, isn't it?" She enquired.  
"It certainly is, and yet.. what do you notice?" The professor urged.  
Flora squinted at the paper, taking in the lines and pictures.  
"That man in the photograph looks an awful lot like Luke, doesn't he?" She pointed out.  
"Hm? Yes, well. I.. suppose that's true.. somewhat," apparently that wasn't the response Hershel was expecting. "Take a look at the print here."  
Flora looked at the writing the professor had pointed out.  
Oracle of Menace in London!  
Someone calling themselves "The Oracle of Menace" has been making appearances in London, prophesizing catastrophic events. Incidents following these predictions are accurate to said predictions. Page 4.  
"Oracle of Menace..?" Flora sniffed. "Does that ring a bell?"  
Hershel sniffed as well, frowning a little. "Not really, but it feels as though it should. And this paper is from a two days ago."  
It was from two days ago. Why hadn't Luke mentioned it before? He didn't seem like one to collect newspapers, and Flora couldn't for the life of her remember seeing this article before.  
"D'you think it has something to do with Luke disappearing?" She asked.  
"It is a possibility," Hershel replied, carefully folding the paper and pocketing it. "At the very least, it would most likely be worth it to look into this… Oracle of Menace."  
He started to leave the room, but Flora idled a little, looking at Luke's desk. There was a stuffed bear on the desk, and to flora, the bear almost appeared glum that Luke wasn't there. She frowned a little, giving the bear a little pat on the head.  
"Don't worry, Mr. Bear, we'll find Luke soon!"  
Feeling a bit more confident having said it out loud, flora turned and followed the professor out of Luke's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Answer: Green, Purple, White, Blue, Red  
> Pretty simple once you get around the wording! And Flora's right, it's fun to think about cute, colorful frogs :)  
> I almost forgot to thank everyone who left such lovely comments on the first chapter!! They were an absolute delight to read and really helped me feel a bit more confident in posting. I hope this chapter delivered :)


	3. A Boy in a Blue Cap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The visit with Clark and Brenda gives the duo a lead, but Luke's parents are ultimately unhelpful. Thankfully, they found a clue that takes them to their next objective, as well as the location of someone else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's hope my motivation for this picks up a bit more lmao. Another puzzle in this one ! It's one of those dumb puzzles, though...

* * *

"Thank you, Brenda," Hershel said gently as a cup of tea was placed in front of him and Flora.  
Flora eyed her tea suspiciously, sniffing it. It didn't seem sketchy. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about Luke's room was… odd. The smell, specifically. She couldn't recognize it, but it vaguely reminded her of the old, musty tower of St Mystere, in the deep recesses of the stone walls. With that image in mind, it wasn't particularly pleasant.  
"Clark," the professor set his cup down on the table before turning to face Luke's father. "Is there anything special about two days ago regarding Luke?"  
"Hm?" Clark mumbled, seeming a little out of it. "Ah, was it? Something about school…"  
Clark went quiet, scratching his beard. He was trying not to show it, but Flora could see a hint of frustration in Hershel's eyes.  
"Er, Mister Triton," Flora spoke up. "Do you know anything about an "Oracle of Menace?""  
"Goodness, hasn't everyone?" Brenda spoke up suddenly, entering the room. "He appears when the fog is thickest, and talks of something terrible that will happen!"  
"We didn't.." Flora started to say, but she her thoughts suddenly became very foggy.  
Did they not know? It was in the paper two days ago.  
She could've sworn… frogs, fifteen picarats.. fencing… Luke was missing… the rosin was broken on the floor, Clark had a headache, something happened two days ago, and that _smell…_  
"Flora, are you alright?"  
Flora shook her head, trying to clear up her thoughts. It worked, for the most part.  
"Hm? Yeah, I'm alright professor. It's just.."  
She stopped talking. If she told the professor about what happened, he might not seem her fit to go on this adventure! She had to help him rescue Luke!!  
"It was nothing, just got distracted, is all. Mrs Triton, you said he appears when it's extra foggy?"  
"Yes, I did, didn't I..?" Brenda didn't sound too sure, herself. "At least, that's what I've heard. Honestly, I would have thought it a similar situation to what happened in Misthallery all those years ago, but there's not really a "spectre," simply… accidents."  
"What kind of accidents?" Hershel asked, shifting where he sat.  
"I haven't really paid much attention," Brenda said, folding her arms in thought, "incidents in transport, people not being able to leave a certain area in London, car crashes, power lines dying, no major casualties that I'm aware of."  
"No casualties," Clark muttered, "and yet Luke is gone."  
"For goodness sake, Clark! He's not dead!"  
"How can we be sure?" He spoke up louder, frowning at Brenda. "My son's gone, my wife doesn't care, and my friend doesn't trust me-"  
"Clark, please." Hershel Layton somehow remained calm, even in the midst of growing chaos. "I have faith that Luke is alive. It's entirely possible that he's conducting an investigation of his own."  
Clark stayed quiet, hands clasped together in his lap. Hershel stood up, beckoning for Flora to follow.  
"Flora and I will try our best to find him, and Clark? I can promise you this: we _will_ find him," the professor said, before tipping his hat politely. "Thank you for the tea, Brenda," he said as he left the house, Flora in tow.  
"What on Earth was that all about??" Flora demanded as the duo got into the Laytonmobile.  
The professor didn't answer as he put the key in the ignition and started the car, nor did he answer as he pulled out of the driveway. Speaking of..  
"Professor, where are we going?" Flora asked, fidgeting with her seatbelt.  
Layton smiled, carefully pulling the newspaper out of his pocket and handing it to Flora while simultaneously keeping his eyes on the road.  
"Have a look at page four, notice anything?"

Puzzle 002: Two Digit Times (25/25 picarats)  
There's something hidden in the fourth page of this paper, and it's up to Flora to find out what! All she has to go off of is the note written in blue ink…  
"99 on the wall."

  
What is the key?

"The… pub?"  
"Indeed," the professor confirmed, sending Flora a proud smile. "Surely you've heard of the folk song, _99 Bottles of Beer on The Wall_?"  
"Well, yes, but.." Flora frowned at the newspaper just to make sure she hadn't missed anything. "Isn't that odd? If this is Luke's writing, what would he be doing there?"  
"I believe we shall find out in a moment," the professor said calmly as he pulled into a parking space.  
Before either of them had a chance to leave the car, however, a sudden rumbling sound shook the Laytonmobile and its passengers. Flora yelped at the sudden movement, and Layton hastily adjusted his hat which had slipped from it's usual spot on his head.  
"What on Earth?" Hershel asked to himself before getting out of the car, and stepping harshly on a puddle he could have _sworn_ wasn't there before. In fact, he was fairly certain that the lonely parking lot had not been this foggy when they arrived mere moments ago.  
Flora's boots hit the damp pavement and she looked around warily at the obscured area. This was the kind of atmosphere Brenda described when….  
"Good evening, citizens of London," a voice carried out through the fog, almost ringing in Flora's ears.  
Flora began to notice other people in the fog, all looking around warily like she was. The voice continued.  
"I'm afraid that I, the Oracle, have another prediction for you," the Oracle said through the fog, voice booming.  
"A boy in a blue hat, lost to his loved ones, shall be lost to all forever, after three tragedies take place in your little city. It is simple truth, I'm afraid to say."  
Flora felt a chill down her spine. _A boy in a blue hat…_ what other way would one describe Luke? But.. but that couldn't be it… could it..?  
"The first of these tragedies has already begun. If you need further proof of my word, look no further than the museum. They say to let the sleeping dog lie, and yet this dog may not wish to lie any longer. Until we meet again."  
Flora nearly felt like she was choking as the fog started to dissipate.  
Sleeping dogs lie… the museum.. Luke was missing… a boy with a blue cap… the tower of St Mystere…. A boy… a boy…  
A boy ran into Flora at full force, knocking her to the ground with an "oof!"  
"Flora!! Flora, are you alright?" The professor called hastily, running over to where she was.  
"I'm fine, I'm fine, but.." Flora blinked harshly, thankfully taking the professor's hand when offered.  
She looked down at the ground. A boy, about her age, maybe a bit older, pushed himself up off the ground. He looked rather familiar to her.  
The boy stood up, returning his cerulean cap to his head before looking at Flora. His eyes were heavy lidded, with long delicate eyelashes that gave him an almost dainty appearance if it weren't for the obvious sass hidden behind his apologetic frown.  
"My apologies, miss," he said quietly, brushing off his sweater. "Bloody difficult to see through the fog."  
He started to walk away when he took notice of the professor, who had been staring at him. Flora glanced at the professor and noticed the alarm he was furiously trying to bury on his face. The professor had seen this boy before.  
"I'm sorry, uh.." the boy started to say to Layton before glancing back at Flora. "There a reason your friend is staring at me?"  
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Hershel gasped as if he hadn't realized he'd been staring, and his his face with the brim of his hat. "You simply remind me of someone I know, and I was trying to remember."  
Now that flora thought about it, this boy did look an awful lot like Luke. Only … older. And sassier.  
"No, I don't recognize either of you, sorry." The boy looked thoughtful for a moment before fear swept clean across his face and he suddenly had energy fill his tired eyes. "Hang on! Are you looking for a young boy, about this height, blue cap?"  
"Er, yes, actually-"  
"You have to help me find him!"  
Flora and the professor shared a worried glance before looking back at the frantic boy.  
"I've been looking everywhere for him! W… we can work together as a team, it'll be easier to find him!"  
"Hang on, hang on!" Flora interjected, waving her arms at him. "We don't even know your name!"  
"My name?" The boy straightened up, adjusting his cap with fervour.  
"My name is Duke Talton, and you're going to help me find my little brother!"

**Author's Note:**

> I updated the chapter to fix the capitalization errors and to add the art piece I did for this fic! I might sprinkle in some more art here and there. :) thank you for reading!


End file.
